Glow discharge light assembly with resistor



G. H. RODGERS 3,017,594

GLOW DISCHARGE LIGHT ASSEMBLY WITH RESISTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 16, 1962 Filed Sept. 8, 1958 FIG. 4

N4 4 FIG. 6

INVENTOR. 660265 11. P006525 Jan. 16, 1962 G. H. RODGERS 3,017,594

GLOW DISCHARGE LIGHT ASSEMBLY WITH RESISTOR Filed Sept. 8, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 40a 45 & 39d

5 .7 .6 57 50 5 W 5x36; INVENTOR. 29 GEOEGE H. P0065125 "ATTORWE Y- States Unite This application is a continuation-in-part of my application Serial No. 627,702, filed Dec. 11, 1956, now abancloned, for Glow Discharge Light Assembly With Resistor.

This invention relates to glow discharge lamp bulbs of the miniature type commonly used for illumination of exceedingly low candle power, as in small indicator lights. Such lamps, e.g., miniature neon lamps, commonly opcrate at voltages well below the common 110 or 115 volt commercial power circuits, and it is customary to use a resistor in series with the neon lamp bulb to avoid burning out the bulb.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a socket unit for such a miniature glow discharge lamp, embodying resistor means of extremely simple and inexpensive construction, built into the socket unit in a manner to occupy substantially no space, and completely avoiding any projection externally of the socket unit.

Another object is to provide a glow discharge lamp socket embodying resistor means functioning not only as a resistor but also as a key device forholding the barrel of the socket against turning with reference to its terminal base.

Another object is to provide a lamp socket embodying a resistor of improved composition particularly adapting it to efficiently perform its combined electrical resistance and mechanical keying functions.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the ensuing specifications and appended drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of an indicator light assembly embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a detail sectional view of the socket portion there-of;

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view of the resistance element of the invention, illustrating one form of construction thereof;

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 are detail sectional views of resistance elements embodying additional modified forms of construction;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view showing a modified form of the invention;

FIG. 9 is a transverse sectional view of the same, taken on the line 9-9 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view of the modified barrel of PEG. 8;

FIG. 11 is a plan view of the modified terminal of F16. 8;

FIG. 12 is a side view of the modified resistor washer of FIG. 8;

FIG. 13 is a sectional view of the same;

FIG. 14 is a plan view of the same;

FIG. 15 is an invertedplan view thereof.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, I have shown therein in FIGS. 1 to 4, as an example of one form in which the invention may be embodied, an indicator light assembly wherein a socket unit A, mounting a miniature neon lamp B, is mounted within a casing C which in turn is adapted to be mounted in an instrument panel or wall panel or other structure in connection with which the indicator light is to be used. The casing C, forming no atet part of the present invention, may include a threaded barrel 11 having clamp nuts 12 for securing it to the mounting panel, and having a lens cap 13 provided with a lens 14 for transmitting the rays of light delivered by the lamp B.

Lamp B may be any standard miniature neon or other glow discharge lamp having a glass envelope 16 at one end, a base 17 at its other end, closing the end of the envelope, having a pair of electrodes 18 within the envelope, which is filled with a suitable gas such as neon, having a central end contact 19 connected to one of the electrodes and having the lateral wall of the base, functioning as a lateral contact, connected to the other electrode.

Such a lamp may have a locking pin 20 for engagement in a bayonet slot 21 in the socket unit A.

The invention is embodied in the construction of the socket unit A, which may include a metal socket element having a cylindrical tubular lateral wall portion 23, to snugly receive the base 17 of the lamp B, and having an integral open annular bottom end portion in the form of a radially inwardly projecting annular flange 24.

Mounted to the said bottom end portion of the socket element is an assembly of insulator washers including an inner washer 25 the periphery of which is fitted within the socket wall 23, an intermediate washer 26 of smaller diameter, its periphery fitted to the inner margin of flange 24, and an outer washer 27 which may have a diameter substantially the same as the outer diameter of the socket element. This assembly of washers is mounted in the bottom end of the socket element by being secured together with the flange 24 embraced between the inner and outer Washers 25 and 27 as shown.

A terminal 29 having an integral ring portion 30 disposed in a plane at right angles thereto, is secured to the washer assembly by means of a conductor sleeve 31 extending through the washer assembly and having an outer end extending through and headed over at 32 against the ring portion 30 with the latter seated snugly against the outer washer 27. The inner end of the sleeve 31 is headed over against the inner insulator washer at 33, and the entire assembly of washers is held together by the sleeve 31 in a tight sandwich assembly.

A contact pin 34 is extended through and slidably mounted in the conductor sleeve 31 and has at its inner end a head 35 for engagement with the central end contact 19 of the lamp B. A coil spring 36, encircling the pin 34 and engaged under compression between the head 35 and the inner insulator washer 25, functions to yieldingly press the head 35 against the contact 19. At its outer end, the pin 34 has a head 37 to retain the pin in assembly when the lamp B is removed from the socket.

A second terminal 38 is extended through registering apertures in outer insulator washer 27 and has at its inner end an integral ring portion 39 which snugly encircles the insulator washer 26 and is seated against the outer washer 27.

The present invention is characterized by a very thin resistance wafer 40 which is interposed between the ring portion 39 of terminal 38 and the flange 24 of the socket element. The resistance wafer 40 is of washer form, and may, as shown, he of the same diameter as socket member 23. It is tightly engaged between ring member 39 and the socket flange 24, forming a high resistance conductive connection therebetween, such as to drop the voltage to the proper value for operation of the lamp B. A metal washer 41 is interposed between washer 48 and insulator washer 27, in encircling relation to ring 39, to provide conductive contact with the full area of washer 40.

It will now be apparent that the electric current for operating the lamp B may pass from the terminal 38 through resistance washer 40 to 'the socket lamp 24, thence to the base (lateral contact) of the lamp B, and from the lamp B through contact pin 34 to conductor sleeve 31 and from the outer end head 32 of the latter to terminal 29. In this circuit, the resistance element 40 is in series with the other elements.

The resistance washer 40, as shown in FIG. 4, may consist in a thin fiat annular body 42 of woven fabric and a matrix 43 of resistance material impregnating the interstices of the body 42 and providing a resistance path for current flow. The woven fabric may be metal cloth or woven wire, or may be of woven fiber, either natural or synthetic or of woven threads of synthetic resin plastic material.

In the form of the invention shown in FIG. 5, the resistance washer 40b comprises a washer body 42b of thin sheet fiber and coatings 43b of resistance material on both faces thereof and on the marginal edge, the edge coating constituting a bridging connection between the two facing coatings so as to transmit electric current therebetween.

In each of the foregoing instances, the resistance matrix or coating may consist in finely powdered high resistance conductive material such as carbon black, and a suitable binder film binding the particles to one another, and to the washer body.

In the form of the invention shown in FIG. 7, the resistance washer 400 is composed entirely of resistance material in powdered or granulated form, sintered and molded under high pressure into a porous homogeneous thin washer body.

It will be apparent that the invention provides a great advantage over indicator light assemblies wherein a resistor of substantial proportions, separately encased, is mounted externally of the indicator lamp assembly. By providing the resistance element in a coaxial assembly in the socket unit of the lamp assembly, it is entirely contained Within the dimensions of a conventional socket unit, with only a slight increase in length (as low as .01 inch for the thickness of the resistance washer).

In the form of the invention shown in FIG. 6, the resistance washer 40a comprises a thin flat annular body 42a of thin sheet metal having on one side thereof a coating 43:: of resistance material.

Referring now to FIGS. 8-44, I have shown therein a preferred form of the invention wherein the resistor washer 40a is formed on one side with a lug 45 extending from its central opening to a point short of the washer periphery, the lug 45 being receivable in a notch 46 in the bottom flange 24d of barrel 23d. On its opposite side, washer 40d has a notch 47 which receives a lug 48 on the ring 39d of terminal 38a. Thus barrel 23d is locked to terminal 38d through resistor washer 40a, to prevent relative rotative movement between the two.

Washer 40d embodies an improved composite comprising the following components:

Grams Prepolymer (No. 35 of diallyl phthalate) l100 Monomer of diallyl phthalate 200 Tertiary butyl perbenzoate 22 Dacron 250 Acetylene black 300 A resistor .365 inch in outer diameter and .062 inch body thickness, embodying this composition, will provide a resistance value of approximately 100,000 ohms.

Where conditions require a resistor of a different resistance value, the above formula may be varied to produce the desired resistance.

I claim:

1. A mounting socket unit for a glow discharge lamp having a base provided with a lateral contact and a central end contact, comprising: a metal socket element in which said base is receivable with electrical conductive engagement with said lateral contact, said socket element having a uniformly cylindrical tubular lateral wall and a radial flange defining an open bottom, said flange having a notch therein; a resistance washer seated against the outer face of said flange, said washer having on one face thereof a radially extending lug engaged in said flange notch and in its opposite face a radially extending recess; a terminal having a radial ring portion seated against said resistance washer and including an integral lug engaged in said recess thereof; insulator means within said flange and ring portion; an outward insulator washer engaged against the outer face of said ring portion; an insulator washer seated against the inner face of said flange and said resistance washer lug; a contact pin extending through and slidably mounted in said insulator means and in yielding conductive engagement with said central end contact; and another terminal mounted on said insulator means and having a part electrically connected to said contact pin, said resistance element providing (a) a high resistance conductive connection between said first mentioned terminal and said socket and (b) a rotation-restraininglocking connection therebetween and a metal bearing grommet extending through the assembly of said terminals, said insulator means, said resistance washer and said insulator washer and holding them in sandwich assembly, said contact pin being slidably mounted in said grommet; said resistance washer having a diameter approximately the same as that of said tubular lateral wall, and said terminals including legs extending axially within the cylindrical space projected axially from said cylindrical lateral wall, whereby said socket unit is receivable in a tubular cylindrical housing barrel.

2. A socket unit as defined a claim 1, wherein said resistance washer is composed entirely of sirrtered resistance material.

3. A socket unit as defined in claim 1, wherein said resistance washer is composed of a woven fibrous fabric and a matrix of resistance material impregnating the same.

4. A socket unit as defined in claim 1, wherein said resistance washer is composed of sheet metal and a coating on at least one side thereof comprising a resistance material.

5. A socket element as defined in claim 1, wherein said resistance washer is composed of sheet fiber and coatings of resistance material on both faces thereof and bridging a marginal edge thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,129,947 Lazarus Sept. 13, 1938 2,205,380 Batcheller June 25, 1940 2,421,321 Forman May 27, 1947 2,457,488 Penfold Dec. 28, 1948 2,483,247 StOfiel Sept. 27, 1949 

